Subscribe to RSSPhoto: Inside Wgtns New Train
What a treat for Wellington’s long-suffering train passengers.
This is what they presently ride in:
Now take a look at the inside of their new electric trains.
The first of the 48 two- car units, being built at the Hyundai-Rotem factory in Changwon, South Korea, arrive in August.
The Greater Wellington Council gives us a sneak preview of how they looked when they photographed them in South Korea last week:
It’s good to see the real thing,complete with branding. rather than an image of how they should look and makes us realise how close the changeover now is.
The new trains will be running on all lines by June 2011.
When the first of the new trains arrive they will be tested and then just before Christmas and run initially on the Hutt Valley line.
As they continue to arrive, they will then be introduced onto the Johnsonville lines, followed by the new extension of the electric service to Kapiti.
24 Comments
EPIC FAIL on the color scheme, seriously WTF? and also, what is going on with the floor? couldn’t they layout the plastic laminate flat? and whats with the wheelchair section? are they only catering for super skinny wheelchair users?
sorry guys, but looks like some poor baby has pooed its pants and its mother has gone and wiped it all over the seats, that is one ugly colour scheme if you ask me…
sorry that should read * what is going on with the floor* not fall
Carl - These are still under construction so the plastic on the floor will be there just to protect it while it is being built.
As for the seat covers, the green is an ugly colour as is the lime green hand rails.
Looks good to me - nice and functional..! I especially like the fold up seats, excellent for busy peak times… The yellow on the exterior reminds me of the MAXX livery a little bit…
I think the yellow fronts are becoming standard for all trains as its supposed to be more visible and safer for people to notice them coming.
Interesting layout inside. I remember reading that there’s a lowered floor section. Almost looks like a similar layout to the newer buses with low areas to allow easier boarding for people with mobility issues. Big windows and open access through the train. Pretty slick.
The high visability irradescent green rails inside are also common on trains these days, presumably so people don’t walk into them etc.
I had the same thought about the floor laminate. BAD for a PR photo - very bad. Lets just hope that in fact, this is not how it is supposed to look in the future.
No real complaints about the colour scheme - hard pleasing everyone. Looks slick from the outside.
Looks MINT from the outside, but I’m with Carl on this one, WTF have they done with the interior? I’d rather travel in one of our Auckland Trains we have now. Hopefully our electrics are better on the inside than these ugly beasts.
Eh, could just as well be a badly lighted shot. As I said, for PR material, this is pretty low.
I’m quite sure the green flooring is just a protective covering for fitting out, and there is probably some kind of transparent plastic covering on some of the seats. The seats are all supposed to be blue.
@ingolfson To be fair, these arent a PR release. They were taken last week to show the Wellington Greater Regional Council transport committee members how they were going.
I asked the council if I could use the snaps.
The green on the floor looks like protective covering. They’ll be fine, by the looks of these pics.
The new trains look way heavier than the current lot but also look rugged and reliable: 10 points!
The interior looks like it was designed on another planet though: a real dumb planet. The larger windows are great but there are some real design bungles here and the builders could take some lessons in basic interior layouts, colours and forms… graffiti is likely to be a real problem and the raise podium and stairs could have been avoided. It just has all the class of a long low end A&E waiting room IMHO. Hopefully they’re remedy the issues with the next batch of new trains!
@Cierat
Can you please clarify what lessons in interior layout, colour and form is required?
To me the interior is very much like those of new electric commuter trains I rode in the UK during the last few years. Thus it is probably close to international best practice.
I agree the photo is poorly exposed, thus the colours will not be showing their best.
guys serially im still concerned if to wheels chairs were in that section, how would people walk past them? man trains in Perth seem to be a lot wider then.
as for the “wow” of the fold up seats…. guys they is old news, london underground has had those for years.
serially there is nothing great or new in these designs.
they should start making trains with fully folding up seats, or the ones that go up and over so you can gave a set of 4…
Raffe - If this is international best practice, then we need to revolutionise it and take the next step, because international practice sucks.
Lthough in saying that I would disagree this is best practice, the trains in Japan, Austrailia, United States and Thailand to name a few I’ve traveled on look nothing like this.
“guys serially im still concerned if to wheels chairs were in that section, how would people walk past them?”
Through the gap in the middle (it looks tight, but according to the plans I’ve seen there will be one).
“as for the “wow” of the fold up seats…. guys they is old news”
Indeed, the current Ganz Mavag units have had fold up seats since introduction.
@ Cierat
If you could share your wisdom about how things could be done better given the specification & budget …
Hmmmm, not the best interior layout, but the exterior is great!
Why are people complaining that this is not the best, or even a good, internal layout?
The photo shows the middle half of a unit, between the two doorsets. In the background, beyond the doors in the far quarter one can see a block of standard seating, 4 abreast in rows. One could assume the same arrangement is behind the photographer. So fully half of a unit is the ‘standard’ layout. The middle half is flexible for users with wheelchairs, pushchairs etc. I do not see a problem.
What would people do differently?
I don’t want to be negative or write a long spiel on what could or should have been done with the interiors. It’s just too late.
The exterior is great and that’s the dream we’ve all paying for. The interior is another story - and a real shame given it should have been just as good but instead it’s truly a “cattle class” product and you can expect people to treat it as such. I haven’t got the space but compare these to the thoughtful choices of Air New Zealand’s interiors, a far different product but much of the same thinking could have been adapted without breaking the bank.
Budgets are a red herring, as is so-called “best practice”. The fact is that these were brand new trains and were bought at a significant premium taking into account all costs eg platforms and power stations to accommodate them, rather than the trains being designed for the conditions. Profits have been made right across the board and no ones lost money on this. Costs had to be cut somewhere, and looks like the interiors were put in front of the firing squad. I spend 500+ hours a year commuting by train and my car is looking better and better by the minute!
Cierat, I have yet to see you make a comment that says much more than “I don’t like”. WHAT don’t you like?
“I don’t want to be negative or write a long spiel on what could or should have been done with the interiors. It’s just too late.”
Or didn’t think anyone would call you. Put up …
“The fact is that these were brand new trains and were bought at a significant premium taking into account all costs eg platforms and power stations to accommodate them, rather than the trains being designed for the conditions.”
Nice to know you’d prefer knackered platforms at various different heights, no aircon, underpowered trains, etc. And you talk about wanting a top class product …
“I spend 500+ hours a year commuting by train and my car is looking better and better by the minute!”
That sounds absurd - if you can put up with the ghastly green Ganz interior or the knackered EEs, dealing with the Matangis shouldn’t be a problem. BTW, I can tell you’re really going to like the interior of the overhauled Ganz units … (well maybe not)
Anyway, I’ll hold off calling the interior one way or the other until I’ve seen one with my own eyes.
Sorry Guys, I don’t do pro bono so you’re just going to have to wear the fact that the interiors are damn fugly and a disappointment.. could have been much better with a bit more thought given the spend. I’m not here to change anyone’s mind, but like old Joyce says, get real - it pays not to get too invested in things like this
I don’t know what your all complaining about. Your new trains for Wellington look great. Should get top marks. Better than the English Electric dogs you used to have & those shitty old carrage trains I remember from the 1970′s.
Anyway, more seating along the sides is part of newer trend in rolling stock to increase capacity & make strap hanging more bearable. As for disabled access. It’s hardly likely the trains will have many wheelchairs at peak times. It’s possibly bikes you need to be getting used to.
Get over the color scheme. It’s standard fare now.